cultivating tourism mobility on the burin peninsula

Cultivating Tourism Mobility on the Burin Peninsula

Dr. Mark C.J. Stoddart Department of Sociology

Memorial University of Newfoundland

Paula Graham Department of Sociology

Memorial University of Newfoundland

Acknowledgements: Research assistance on this project was provided by Bui Petersen. Financial support for this research was provided by the Office of the Provost and Vice President (Academic) Scholarship in the Arts Fund, Memorial University.

Contents Executive Summary .............................................................................................................3 Introduction .........................................................................................................................4 Benefits of Tourism for the Burin .......................................................................................7 Main Features that bring Tourists to the Burin .................................................................10 Tourism Market for the Burin ...........................................................................................17 Barriers to Visitors to the Burin ........................................................................................18 Media and Promotion Strategies .......................................................................................20 Local-provincial Engagement & Tourism Networks ........................................................22 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................24 Bibliography .....................................................................................................................26 Appendix: Methodology ...................................................................................................27

Executive Summary This report examines opportunities and challenges related to tourism on the Burin

Peninsula. It is based on research that took place in 2013 which involved interviewing key stakeholders, analyzing online content (both websites and social media), observing meetings and events related to tourism on the Burin, and a review of relevant reports and literature. Our main research findings include: • Tourism offers economic benefits through revenue and employment. Beyond its economic

impacts, tourism development can create positive social impacts through the preservation of culture and history, and by improving the quality of life for local residents through the maintenance of amenities and public spaces.

• Currently, most tourists use the Burin as a throughway to St. Pierre et Miquelon. • A significant number of tourists to the region are families or retirees from other parts of

Newfoundland or other Canadian provinces. • The long drive from Newfoundland’s main highway, lower-than-expected quality of customer

service and restaurant options, limited space for modern recreational vehicles, and the short tourism season are challenges that can detract from tourists' experience of the region.

• Burin peninsula tourism is primarily promoted online. • Tourism promoters and operators in the region feel marginalized from provincial tourism

promotion efforts, though this may be changing with the creation of the Eastern Destination Management Organization.

Several key strategies that may help build tourism development in the region are: • Continue to build multi-layered tourism networks between community, regional, and

provincial organizations and key actors. • Develop a stronger regional “tourism destination image.” • Prioritize long term tourism-oriented projects that also benefit local communities. • Extend the tourist season. • Develop thematic connections between tourist attractions on the Burin peninsula and tourism

anchors in other parts of Newfoundland. • Develop cross-promotion strategies with St. Pierre et Miquelon. • Emphasize both cultural activities and outdoor, recreational, and nature-oriented activities. • Market the drive between the Trans-Canada highway and the Burin Peninsula a part of the

tourism experience, as opposed to an inconvenience. • Increase quality of restaurant offerings and customer service. • Diversify and expand the online presence and promotion of the region.

Introduction This research project examines tourism mobility on the Burin peninsula. It is centred on three

questions which draw from themes that emerged from a Harris Centre Regional Workshop, held in Marystown in November, 2012. First, what is the potential for tourism development to serve as social enterprise, in order to increase the economic and social benefits of tourism for the region? Second, how can communities on the Burin better develop tourism anchors to increase the flow of visitors to the region? Third, what are the main barriers to tourism development on the Burin peninsula?

Data collection took place between April and August 2013, and several different types of data were collected. Two field research trips were carried out to meet with local stakeholders and take notes while observing Burin tourism sites. The first, which took place in April 2013, involved a series of meetings in Fortune and Marystown with 12 key participants with a stake in tourism development in the region. The second research trip, which took place in August 2013, involved unobtrusive observation at a series of tourist sites defined as significant by participants at the first meeting. The second data collection strategy was a review of relevant reports and academic literature that either discussed tourism development on the Burin peninsula specifically, or which focused on successful models of tourism development elsewhere in the province. The third data collection strategy was an analysis of websites and Web 2.0 (Facebook, Twitter, You Tube) content related to tourism on the Burin peninsula.

This report presents the research findings, which answer the three guiding questions listed above. A number of recommendations and suggestions are made throughout this report for how to take advantage of existing opportunities for tourism development on the Burin, identify new opportunities, and reduce barriers tourists may face when visiting the region. Where relevant, the results are linked to work from Dr. Stoddart’s larger research project, Puffins, kayaks and oil rigs: Shifting modes of society-environment interaction on the Newfoundland coast. The larger research project explores tourism and recreation in Newfoundland and how they are reshaping cultural conceptions of the Newfoundland coastal environment.

In terms of the main benefits of tourism for the Burin peninsula, we found that the

economic impacts, including employment for local residents, are perceived as the most important. Besides the economic impacts, other positive social impacts of tourism development include a sense of community pride and the improvement of amenities that serve both tourists and locals. Currently, St. Pierre et Miquelon is the main anchor attraction that draws the bulk of tourists to the Burin region and most of these tourists are Newfoundland residents or non-Newfoundland Canadians.

Barriers to visiting the Burin region include extended car travel, the closing of many

tourist sites during the off-season, and restaurant quality and customer service that do not meet visitors’ expectations. In terms of the visibility of the region as a tourism site, several research

participants reported feeling somewhat excluded from provincial efforts to boost the tourism economy. In terms of current promotional strategies, tourism operators and promoters are primarily using web-based platforms.

The recommendations and strategies outlined in this report emerge from analyzing the various data and linking challenges to tourism development on the Burin with ideas to address and/or overcome them. The recommendations range from long-term marketing strategies to more immediate steps that can be taken to cultivate tourism mobility in the area.

First, further developing a regional “tourism destination image” by creating thematic

links between tourist attractions is one way to entice tourists to spend more time exploring the Burin. The concept of “The Heritage Run” is an excellent starting point and would help create and maintain networks within and between communities, regions, and provincial tourism marketing efforts. This would help link tourist attractions on the Burin to other tourism anchors across the province.

Second, the Burin could attract more tourists by extending the tourism season. For

example, taking advantage of the spring and fall “shoulder seasons” would offer retirees or couples without children time to explore the Burin outside of the family-oriented mid-summer tourism season. Similarly, businesses that serve tourists, such as restaurants, should work to ensure that they are meeting the needs and expectations of visitors.

Third, the development of longer-term projects, such as hiking trail networks, would not

only serve as tourist attractions but would benefit local residents and communities by creating recreational amenities.

Fourth, tourism operators and promoters should consider simultaneously emphasizing the

cultural and natural/outdoor activities offered throughout the Burin, instead of focusing on one or the other.

Fifth, the drive to the Burin from Newfoundland’s main highway could be framed as a

part of the travel experience, as opposed to a nuisance. Increased promotion of the existing View Parks along the Heritage Run Drive would help make the journey to the Burin more enjoyable and appealing for travellers.

Sixth, it would be of mutual benefit to develop cross-promotion strategies with St. Pierre

et Miquelon. Currently, most tourists who visit the Burin are primarily interested in experiencing St. Pierre. It would be beneficial to take advantage of this existing tourist market and work with St. Pierre tourism promotion bodies to compel tourists to enrich their visit to St. Pierre by also touring the Burin. One way to connect these two destinations is to use the 100th anniversary of

the 1919 alcohol prohibition, in which St. Pierre and Newfoundland played interesting roles, as a tourism marketing anchor.

Finally, adopting creative approaches to using social media, such as using it as a platform

through which tourists can connect with each other, would diversify and potentially boost the Burin’s online presence.

Benefits of Tourism for the Burin One of the main questions guiding this project is, “What are the main benefits (economic,

social, and cultural) of tourism for the Burin peninsula?” Table 1 summarizes the themes related to that topic that emerge from all of the data examined during the project. The dominant theme, the one most frequently referenced, is the positive economic impacts of tourism. The main economic impact is the flow of money into the region from visitors. Tourism also provides employment. Even though it is often seasonal, employment opportunities remain important as many jobs were lost due to the decline of the fishing industry in the Burin region since the 1990s. Tourism-related employment is also seen as having the potential to increase training and skills development. Also, it may contribute to community embeddedness by providing some employment options for people (particularly youth) who wish to remain in the region. Table 1: Themes related to the positive impacts of tourism positive impacts of tourism (# of

references) Positive economic impacts on region 20 Preserve history and culture 5 Improves quality of life in region 4 Sense of community pride 4 Interaction with tourists provides a new perspective on things we take for granted

3

Contributes to community environmental sustainability 2 Contributes to community embeddedness 2 Contributes to training & skill development 2 Interaction with tourists leads to ideas to improve business practices

1

Interaction with tourists creates pride in community & place 1 Preserves intangible heritage 1

While the economic benefits of tourism are the primary focus, several other themes identify non-economic benefits of tourism for host communities. Through museums, historic sites, and theatre and musical performances, tourism works to preserve the history and culture of the region. At its best, tourism-oriented amenities and services are also valued and used by local communities and can improve the quality of life in the region. Specific examples of tourism attractors that also enhance local communities include the Burin Trailway ATV trails, the Grande Meadows golf course, and the Grand Bank Regional Theatre Festival. Tourism may also help foster a sense of community pride as local residents can share achievements, stories, and positive features of the community with visitors. In turn, visitors can provide new perspectives and insights on the region.

Several economic and employment related challenges to tourism development on the Burin Peninsula were also identified through this research. The most prevalent theme is that while volunteer labour is appreciated, the heavy reliance on volunteers within the Burin tourism sector leads to burn-out, lack of continuity, and a situation of too few people trying to simultaneously fulfill many roles. Related to this, many staff positions are temporary (lasting only the summer tourist season), which can make recruitment difficult, and which also makes it difficult to ensure continuity and consistent quality from one year to the next. Similarly, as in much of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Burin tourism season is relatively short. This magnifies staffing challenges and contributes to the difficulty in starting new tourism businesses that are economically viable in the long-term. Though it was not raised during research meetings or field research on the Burin Peninsula, there is also the challenge of competing with regions that have already become established tourist destinations. The 2003 Twillingate Islands Tourism Master Plan acknowledges this issue, noting that it can be difficult for many regions throughout the province (such as the Burin) to develop a cohesive regional tourism image that is not overshadowed by other provincial tourism destinations, such as the Bonavista Peninsula and Gros Morne National Park.

Several strategies may help maximize the benefits of tourism for the region and mitigate

some of these challenges: • Continue to develop regional networks among tourism operators, promoters, and other

key stakeholders on the Burin Peninsula. This can be helped by clearly effectively communicating both the economic and the social benefits of tourism. As community members develop a better understanding of the range of potential benefits, they are more likely to be supportive of tourism development.

• Other parts of the province (i.e. the Bonavista Peninsula) have been successful partly through developing a strong regional “tourism destination image.” A “tourism destination image” refers to how potential visitors view, or perceive a tourism destination (Tasci & Gartner, 2007; Tasci et al., 2007). By creating a regional tourism destination image that is coherent and memorable, the whole region – as opposed to single communities – becomes a tourism destination that can be promoted to visitors. The current regional identity as the Heritage Run is a useful starting point, and could be further developed and strengthened to emphasize the Burin Peninsula’s distinctiveness from other regions of the province. Focusing on cultivating a strong tourism destination image will also complement moves to further develop tourism networks in the region.

• Focus on developing tourism-oriented projects that will also enhance quality of life for local communities, rather than investing in short-term large events that are costly and do not leave a lasting impact. There are existing examples of projects that provide amenities and recreational opportunities for local residents as well as visitors, such as theatre and

music festivals, the golf course and ATV trails. Another model for developing long-term projects that attract tourists and benefit local communities is suggested by a report on tourism and fisheries in the Bonne Bay region on the west coast of Newfoundland (Lowitt, 2011; 2012). The report argues that improving the connections between tourism operators, tourists, local businesses, and the fishing industry can help enhance local food security and health as well as strengthen the tourism industry. This type of approach to tourism helps ensure that tourism development proceeds in a way that maximizes the social benefits for host communities.

• Strategize ways to extend the tourist season and take advantage of the shoulder season (i.e. May-June and September-October), which is a time that many people without children choose to travel.

Main Features that bring Tourists to the Burin This research was also guided by the questions: “What features currently draw tourists to the Burin Peninsula?” and “What features could be further developed?” Figure 1 uses a strategy called “social network analysis” to map out key themes that came out of the research meetings, field research and internet analysis related to features that currently bring tourists to the Burin. In the Figure 1, the thickness of the lines reflects the prevalence of the different themes. The most common theme is that St. Pierre is the biggest reason tourists currently visit the region. While St. Pierre serves as an important drawing point for visitors to the region, this also creates challenges and frustrations for tourism operators and promoters for two reasons. First, there is a widely-held view that the provincial government is wary of putting resources into promoting St. Pierre, as it is not part of Newfoundland and Labrador, even though tourism to St. Pierre has significant spillover effects for the Burin. Second, many visitors to St. Pierre do not take the additional time to explore the Burin Peninsula, often viewing the region simply as a throughway to St. Pierre. Moving forward, one of the main challenges for tourism development on the Burin Peninsula is to develop a tourism destination image as something more than the gateway to St. Pierre. Several other themes emerged that point to tourism attractors on the Burin Peninsula which may be further developed to help cultivate a clear, unique tourism destination image for the region. As part of region’s image as “the Heritage Run”, the history of the region can be used as a tourism attractor, for example through promotion of the U.S.S. Truxton and U.S.S. Pollux site at Chamber’s Cove, or the Provincial Seaman’s Museum in Grand Bank. Related to this, there is also a focus on the ways in which outport communities in the area (i.e. Burin, Grand Bank, Fortune) embody a general sense of history and authenticity. Particularly with the recent launch of the Newfoundland and Labrador Geotourism guide (http://www.nlgeotourism.com/), the Fortune Head Ecological Reserve is also an important tourism attractor, which focuses on the distinctive geological history of the region. Other key tourism attractors that came up (though less often) include local arts and culture, the coastal landscape, hiking, ATV use, and the history of the 1929 tsunami.

Figure 1: Network diagram visualizing themes related to main features that bring tourists to the Burin

Figure 2 maps out an answer to the question, “What features could be further developed

to draw visitors to the region?” Building on the concept of “The Heritage Run,” as a distinct tourism region (i.e. the Burin Peninsula), a number of elements are clustered around the idea of cultural heritage (Truxton and Pollux; prohibition; outport culture and history). Several other elements are clustered around the idea of nature and recreation (Fortune Head; hiking trails, the ATV Trailway, and the Grande Meadows golf course). A couple more elements are located in between these two concepts (the 1929 tsunami and the Seaman’s museum). Based on the data collected for this project, three parallel strategies are suggested for further developing tourism on the Burin Peninsula.

Figure 2: Features that could be further developed as tourism attractors

Strategy #1: Think regionally - Emphasize what is unique about the Burin Peninsula In the previous section, recommendations for maximizing the benefits of tourism included a) building regional tourism networks; and b) building a coherent, strong regional tourism destination image. Following from this, a key strategy for developing tourism attractors is to emphasize elements that are unique to the Burin Peninsula as a region. Several of the elements that currently draw visitors, such as the coastline, arts and culture, and hiking, can be found throughout many regions of the province. By contrast, there are several elements that are unique to the Burin that could be highlighted though tourism promotion. One key story that is unique to the region is the sinking of the U.S.S. Truxton and U.S.S. Pollux at Chamber’s Cove, near St. Lawrence. Another key story is the 1929 tsunami, which is a unique historical event, not just for Newfoundland, but for the east coast of North America. A third key story is the region’s role as a bootlegging transport route during the era of U.S. prohibition. In addition to these historical narratives, the Fortune Head ecological reserve represents a unique site of natural history that can be linked to a growing interest in geotourism.

In research meetings and interviews, it was repeatedly made clear that financial resources are unlikely to become available for developing significant new infrastructure, such as museums or historic sites. However, large investments in new infrastructure are not necessary for tourism promotion that is based on unique stories and places that already exist on the Burin. The following recommendations suggest ways of creatively making use of the building blocks that are currently available: • Several of the museums and historic sites in the region (i.e. Marystown, Burin, and

Lamaline) already hold artifacts and have displays related to the Truxton and Pollux, the 1929 tsunami, and the prohibition. These displays could be made more prominent within each of these museums in order to highlight these particularly unique elements of the Burin Peninsula.

• More could be done to promote thematic connections across the different museums, historic sites, and memorials. A focus on the Truxton and Pollux, the tsunami, and the prohibition-era history of the region could involve linking tourism attractions (i.e. museums, monuments, information plaques, etc.) that relate to these stories. The Newfoundland geotourism website, Facebook, and the Heritage Run website could be used for this, as could future publications (maps or brochures, or the Burin section of the Provincial tourism guide or commercial guidebooks). While museums and historic sites are a good way to preserve and promote these unique stories, they could also be presented through arts and culture events such as theatre, music, and storytelling events.

• In part, the larger research project, Puffins, kayaks and oil rigs: Shifting modes of society-environment interaction on the Newfoundland coast, examines how Newfoundland tourism is represented by mass media from outside the province (in Canada, the U.S. and the U.K.). Analysis of coverage of Newfoundland tourism demonstrates that key anniversaries have been successful for bringing national and international media attention to places like

Bonavista and L’Anse aux Meadows. While there is unlikely to be funding for something comparable to the Matthew replica in Bonavista, there are other ways to take advantage of the upcoming 100th anniversary of the Volstead Act and U.S. prohibition in 1919. Existing artifacts and displays related to role of the Burin Peninsula during the prohibition era could be made more prominent within regional museums. For example, museums could create special temporary exhibits that highlight these artifacts and displays and promote them widely. The Burin’s role as a bootlegging route during the prohibition could also be highlighted through existing festivals in 2019 (for example, the Grand Bank Theatre Festival). If this anniversary gained attention from national and international media, it could have lasting effects in terms of increasing tourists’ awareness of the region and creating a regional tourism destination image, as was the previously the case for the Bonavista Peninsula and St. Anthony. Using the story of the Burin’s role in the prohibition would help strengthen connections between the tourism sectors in Burin and St. Pierre.

• Certainly, the sinking of the U.S.S. Truxton and U.S.S. Pollux and the 1929 tsunami were tragedies. However, the stories about these events that are preserved at the Chamber’s Cove site, or at the museums in Lamaline and the town of Burin, also show how creative and adaptable the people and communities of the Burin Peninsula have been in response to these challenges. In promoting these unique histories, it is important to emphasize that these are stories of community resilience, as well as tragedy.

Strategy #2: Think thematically - Emphasize connections between the Burin and other tourism attractors in the province One way to cultivate a tourism destination image is by emphasising a set of stories and places that are unique to the Burin Peninsula, as opposed to promoting each individually. The second recommended strategy, then, is to make connections between tourism attractors on the Burin Peninsula and successful tourism anchors elsewhere in the province. This means making thematic connections across different regions in order to build on tourism attractors that are already well-known. There are two obvious thematic connections could be developed that would highlight the Burin region: • The fisheries history of Newfoundland and Labrador: The Provincial Seaman’s Museum in

Grand Bank could use the theme of fisheries history to link to the Ryan Premises National Historic Site (a successful tourist attraction on the Bonavista Peninsula) as well as to the Battle Harbour historic district in Labrador Straits. The authenticity and historical aspects of outport communities is heavily promoted in provincial tourism advertising and media (i.e. newspaper stories and travel guides) often pick up on this theme. Advertising and promoting communities on the Burin with a strong history of fisheries (i.e. Grand Bank and the town of Burin) and linking them to other historic fisheries sites in Newfoundland and Labrador could encourage tourists to add the Burin to their travel itinerary, especially those interested in experiencing the history of the province.

• Unique geology: Building on the success and international reputation of Gros Morne National Park, the Burin could link the Fortune Head Ecological Reserve to the Tablelands, as well as to Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve on the Irish Loop. This could be a useful strategy for taking advantage of the increasing interest in geotourism in the province.

This strategy involves going beyond building regional tourism networks. It would mean more collaboration between local and provincial tourism interests to develop appropriate promotion and advertising. Strategy #3: Things to see and things to do - Emphasize the combination of cultural and natural heritage on the Heritage Run

The final strategy is to emphasize that there are a mix of sites and activities where visitors can experience the cultural heritage and natural environment of the region. Museums, heritage buildings and historic sites, and the Fortune Head Ecological Reserve provide things for tourists to see. As a complement to this, hiking trails, the ATV Trailway, the golf course, and camping and swimming at sites like Frenchman’s Cove Provincial Park provide ways for visitors to physically engage with nature as well as cultural history.

An analysis of Canadian and international media coverage of Newfoundland tourism was

carried out as part of the larger research project, Puffins, kayaks and oil rigs: Shifting modes of society-environment interaction on the Newfoundland coast. This media analysis shows that while culture and history drove much of the media coverage of Newfoundland tourism during the 1990s, during the 2000s, there has generally been a greater emphasis on nature and outdoors. In particular, outdoor recreation, such as hiking and kayaking, and the natural environment have generally gained more media attention in Canada and the U.K., while cultural and historic tourism attractors have gained more attention in the U.S. Rather than try to predict whether cultural or environmental attractors will be the most effective for attracting potential tourists, it would be more strategic to promote both cultural and natural activities on the Heritage Run.

Two recommendations follow from this:

• The ATV Trailway is already well underway as a project that can tap into a particular group of recreational tourists. The ongoing development of the trail should be complemented by strategizing ways to effectively promote the Trailway and make it visible to international communities of ATV users.

• Hiking as become an important tourism attractor in the province, largely through the visibility of Gros Morne National Park and the East Coast Trail. There are existing hiking trails on the Burin Peninsula, including the Garnish trail, the trail between Grand Bank and Fortune, and the trail at Chamber’s Cove. Work could be done to improve some of these the trails in order to bring them to standards similar to the East Coast Trail. Trail also improvements could include a) better signage on the trails, and b) better signage on

roads to direct visiting hikers to trailheads. Further trail development could also work to better integrate the hiking experience to the cultural experience of museums and historic sites in the region. The Chamber’s Cove trail at St. Lawrence, which directly connects hiking to the story of the sinking of the U.S.S. Truxton and U.S.S. Pollux, provides a good example of this. More could also be done to make hiking more visible as part of regional tourism advertising and promotion.

Tourism Market for the Burin Other questions that were posed during this project include: Who is the main current

market for tourism to the Burin Peninsula? How might this market change in the future? It is worth noting that answers to these questions are not based on surveys of tourists or other quantifiable data. Rather, tentative answers to these questions were suggested through the research meetings, field observation, and media analysis.

The main current market for tourism to the Burin Peninsula appears to be visitors to St.

Pierre. However, many of these visitors pass through the region en route to St. Pierre without spending much time exploring or experiencing the Burin Peninsula. One of the main challenges for tourism development on the Burin is to capture the attention of visitors to St. Pierre. It is important to build on the popularity of St. Pierre as a tourism attractor by using the strategies discussed in previous sections to encourage tourists so they spend more time on the Burin while travelling to and from St. Pierre.

The market for tourism to the Burin Peninsula also appears to consist primarily of visitors

from elsewhere in Newfoundland, followed by visitors from elsewhere in Canada (particularly Ontario and Nova Scotia). Provincial tourism advertising and promotion has been successful at increasing flows of tourists from elsewhere in Canada and making the province visible in international media and travel guides. There is quite a bit of potential for the Burin Peninsula to plug into these flows of visitors to the province and provincial, national, and international media attention. As a strong regional tourism destination image is developed, it will be important to link regional tourism networks to provincial-level tourism promotion.

Two particularly important groups of tourists to the Burin are families and retirees. It is

worth bearing in mind that these groups might be attracted to the area for different reasons and may also want to travel during different seasons. As the Twillingate Islands Tourism Master Plan notes, mature, affluent, well-educated tourists are a key target market for tourism development in Newfoundland and Labrador. This market usually seeks a mix of experiences that include historical sites, unique cultural experiences, sightseeing in natural environments, theatre, arts and culture, and opportunities for shopping and dining. For many early retirees, the shoulder season is a key period to travel, as it doesn’t conflict with the core season for family vacation. This underscores the importance of developing a regional tourism destination image that covers a mixture of cultural and natural heritage, as well as the importance of developing ways to extend tourism operations into the shoulder season.

Barriers to Visitors to the Burin The barriers to potential visitors to the Burin were also examined throughout this project.

Several issues that make it difficult to tour the Burin were identified and these issues cluster around four main themes. The most prominent of these themes centres around “automobility” on the Burin, a term that refers to the whole system of cars, drivers, roads and services related to car use (Urry, 2004). One of the main issues that came up repeatedly is the long drive between the Trans-Canada highway and the Burin Peninsula. The road between the Trans-Canada and the peninsula is the primary factor that tourism development needs to address. Other automobility-related issues that were raised include the need to improve road signage, poor road conditions, the lack of roadside facilities for tourists, and problems with rental car availability and mileage limits. Another automobility-related issue is that there are limited campsites and parking spaces that can accommodate larger, modern RVs. Similarly, many camping spaces are taken up by long-term inhabitants during the summer season. This creates an issue for tourists coming from far away who wish to camp on the Burin.

Besides the automobility-related issues that were identified through this research, three

other issues came up repeatedly. First, there is a commonly belief that the Burin Peninsula has received little attention in provincial tourism promotion and advertising compared with other regions of the province. This results the Burin being less visible to potential visitors than other areas in the province. Similarly, the Burin Peninsula is often viewed as the gateway to St. Pierre, rather than being seen as a tourist draw in itself. Second, issues around restaurant quality and customer service were raised repeatedly, as food service in the region often fails to meet the expectations of visitors. While other regions of the province, such as the Bonavista Peninsula, are taking advantage of an increasing emphasis on cuisine as a key part of experiencing local culture, restaurant options on the Burin are often limited and tend to focus on deep-fried or fast food. Third, the short tourism season was identified as a barrier, as there is a key group of tourists prefers to travel in the shoulder season. However, many tourist sites and facilities are only open during the summer, when many families travel.

These barriers to tourism development can be addressed in a variety of ways:

• The long drive from the Tans-Canada highway is a barrier to tourism, but is also a feature that is impossible to change. As such, driving to and through the region needs to be incorporated into the experience of the Burin as a tourism destination. The existing highway view-parks in the region provide a narrative about the history and environment of the region. The view-parks could be made more visible through improved highway signage as the current signage is often easy for drivers to miss. There may also be creative ways to better promote and encourage visitor engagement with the view-parks. The National Geographic geo-tourism guide for eastern Newfoundland could serve as a tool for encouraging use of the view-parks and making the drive to and through the region more engaging for visitors. An audio tour guide, booklet or app could be used as

guides to and within the view-parks. Taking advantage of technology and multi-media would be a good way to increase the use of the view-parks and make the drive to the Burin more inviting for travellers.

• Many of the other issues related to automobility – road conditions, poor signage, rental car availability and mileage restrictions, lack of roadside tourist facilities – are not unique to the Burin Peninsula. They come up repeatedly in the project, Puffins, kayaks and oil rigs: Shifting modes of society-environment interaction on the Newfoundland coast, which has a larger, province-wide focus. This suggests that many of these issues may be most effectively addressed through improved local-provincial engagement (discussed in greater detail below), rather than trying to address these issues only at the local or regional level.

• The issue of the relative lack of visibility of the Burin Peninsula as a tourism destination, as well as the perception that the region is primarily a gateway to St. Pierre, can be addressed through developing a stronger regional tourism destination image, as discussed in previous sections of this report. Building stronger regional tourism networks and improving local-provincial engagement in tourism development should also help address this issue.

• One of the challenges of changing the restaurant culture of the Burin Peninsula to meet the expectations of tourists is the need for restaurants to remain viable throughout the year, rather than only through the relatively short tourism season. As such, changes to restaurant culture to appeal to tourists will have to be balanced by maintaining options that appeal to existing year-round customers in the community. Hosting short-term workshops or training events with visiting chefs from elsewhere in Newfoundland or the broader Atlantic region may be a useful strategy to help local restaurants shift to meet tourists’ expectations. As Lowitt (2011; 2012) discusses in her report on tourism and fisheries in the Bonne Bay region, strengthening connections between local fisheries and food producers and the tourism industry can provide benefits for local communities as well as boost the local tourism industry.

• Finally, as noted above, it is important to extend the short season by taking advantage of the shoulder season, which is a time when many retirees choose to travel.

Media and Promotion Strategies This project examined the media strategies that are being used by the Newfoundland

tourism sector to reach potential visitors. During the project, the television ads produced by the provincial government were repeatedly cited as a particularly effective tool for promoting tourism to the province, though it was also noted that the Burin Peninsula is often not particularly visible within provincial tourism promotion strategies. From this perspective, the recent formation of the Eastern Destination Management Organization (EDMO) was seen as a positive development as the EDMO may serve as a vehicle for increasing the visibility of the region within larger tourism promotion campaigns.

For the most part, media strategies used by tourism operators and promoters on the Burin

peninsula focus on websites and web 2.0 applications such as Facebook, rather than traditional mass media, such as television, radio, or newspapers. Other than web-based promotion, a print tourism map of the region has been produced and is available to visitors throughout the Burin Peninsula once they arrive in the region. Throughout the broader project, Puffins, kayaks and oil rigs: Shifting modes of society-environment interaction on the Newfoundland coast, tourism operators and promoters similarly noted a move away from relying on traditional mass media as a promotion strategy in favour of websites and web 2.0 applications, as these are viewed as less costly. These tools are also viewed as potentially more effective in terms of reaching a broader range of potential visitors across a larger distance.

Based on this research, the following two suggestions may help improve current tourism

promotion strategies. • A key recurring theme is that there should be increased cross-promotion between St.

Pierre and the Burin Peninsula. As St. Pierre is a major tourism anchor in the region, highlighting the connection between the Burin and St. Pierre in ways that emphasize the regional tourism destination image of the Burin would be useful. A stronger connection between the Burin and St. Pierre could also be developed by increasing the amount of French content on websites and Facebook pages that promote tourism on the Burin peninsula. Another strategy is to highlight the prohibition-era history of the Burin. With the upcoming 100th anniversary of U.S. prohibition in 2019, incorporating this history into tourism promotion on websites and web 2.0 applications may help create a hook for travel stories in travel guides, magazines, newspapers, blogs, and so on.

• At this point, much of the use of web 2.0 applications like Facebook and Twitter appears to be used for internal communication between regional networks of residents and tourism operators and promoters on the Burin Peninsula. One of the key benefits of digital media is that it has the potential to introduce local tourist sites the global tourism market. However, on many of the Burin-related Facebook pages, communities of users tend to be small and regionalized. Work could be done to utilize the full capabilities of digital communication tools, including websites, Facebook and Twitter. The Burin

tourism sector could encourage more interaction between tourists and tourism operators and promoters, and between tourists themselves. As well, these digital communication tools could extend beyond local regions to reach potential visitors on a global scale. One way to do this is to use digital media to connect the Burin region to larger-scale groups of people with shared interests around activities and interests such as ATV use, hiking, geology, geotourism, and history. As a stronger tourism destination image is developed for the region, creative use of digital media will be important for making this regional destination image visible to potential visitors.

Local-provincial Engagement & Tourism Networks The final key questions that structured this research project centred on the current state of

local-provincial teamwork around tourism development and ways that local-provincial relationships can be improved in order maximize the benefits of tourism for the region. Several observations can be made on this issue.

First, existing literature on tourism development in other regions of the province (i.e. the

Baccalieu Trail and Twillingate) emphasizes the importance of developing collaborative regional marketing strategies, rather than either over-relying on provincial advertising campaigns, or leaving local promotion entirely to individual tourism operators (Mariner Resource Opportunities Network Inc., 2008). Strategizing for better regional marketing, as a "middle ground" between provincial and individual efforts, will help build a stronger regional tourism destination image.

Second, building a stronger regional tourism network, as discussed previously, will help

build capacity for regional-provincial engagement and collaboration. The Heritage Run Tourism Association (HRTA) is a good framework for further developing regional tourism networks. Some of the difficulties in strengthening regional tourism networks that were identified through this research include competing interests and internal tensions among tourism operators and communities, and differences in the value that individual communities place on tourism development as a priority. However, municipalities can do quite a bit to support the further development of a regional tourism network through the HRTA, and individual operators should be encouraged to become involved. Another key barrier to strengthening regional tourism networks is a high level of dependence on volunteer labour. It would be useful to have resources for a full-time dedicated staff person whose role is to coordinate the regional tourism network and marketing strategies, and to serve as key liaison between the Burin region and the Eastern Destination Management Organization (EDMO) and provincial government.

Third, there is a lack of visibility for the Burin region in much of the provincial travel

promotion and advertising campaigns (including the television advertisements and the provincial guidebook). There is a widespread sense that the Burin is marginalized from tourism marketing efforts at the provincial level, and has experienced a corresponding lack of access to provincial resources for tourism development. In addition, the Schooner Regional Development Board, which is now dissolved, had a limited role in tourism development in the region. However, there appears to be a feeling of optimism with the recent formation of the EDMO that this is in the process of being rectified. In order to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the EDMO, it is important to cultivate a strong regional tourism destination image, as discussed throughout this report, as this will help increase the visibility of the region within provincial promotional efforts.

Fourth, and related to the previous point, there is a widespread sense that there is a lack of promotion or visibility of St. Pierre in provincial travel promotion and advertising campaigns. While it is understandable that the province is reluctant to commit resources to promoting travel to another country, St. Pierre is the major tourism attractor for visitors to the Burin Peninsula. There is a high level of interest in the region in working to share resources and increase communication and cross-promotion between the Burin and St. Pierre. It should be possible to develop promotional strategies that emphasize the Burin as a connecting point between France and Newfoundland, thereby promoting the Burin Peninsula through its connection to St. Pierre. As discussed above, highlighting the prohibition-era history of the Burin Peninsula could serve as a particularly interesting “hook” for strengthening this connection.

Fifth, there are a few specific sites where local-provincial collaboration could be

strengthened: • There could be better collaboration and increased coherence between the Fortune Head

Ecological Reserve (which is under provincial jurisdiction) and Fortune Head Interpretation Centre (which is a local operation). There are currently movements in this direction, which is encouraging. Work could also be done to make thematic links between Fortune Head and other similar geologically-unique sites across the province that appeal to interests in geotourism and the natural environment, such as Mistaken Point and the Tablelands (in Gros Morne National Park).

• Similarly, provincial advertising and promotion could be used to thematically link the Provincial Seaman’s Museum in Grand Bank to other museums and historic sites that appeal to interests in the fisheries history of Newfoundland and Labrador, including the Rooms (St. John’s), the Ryan Premises (Bonavista), and Battle Harbour.

• Finally, Frenchman’s Cove Provincial Park currently contains few signs of local-provincial engagement. Local-provincial collaboration could be used to better connect Frenchman’s Cove to broader stories about the region’s history and environment.

Conclusion This research on the Burin Peninsula identifies both opportunities and obstacles involved in

further tourism development. Currently, the Burin is primarily used by tourists as a throughway to St. Pierre et Miquelon. The short tourism season, spanning mainly June to August, is restrictive for tourists who wish to travel outside of these months, such as retirees who prefer to travel during the shoulder seasons of spring and fall. The lengthy drive from the Trans-Canada highway to the Burin may also deter potential tourists. The Burin is often left of out the province’s tourism promotion campaigns and tourism operators on the Burin typically promote their products online, though may not use social media to its full potential.

There are many opportunities for the Burin to expand its tourism sector, thus contributing to the social resilience of the region. One key, overarching strategy is to develop a stronger regional “tourism destination image.” A tourism destination image is a mental impression or conception that potential tourists have about a certain destination. It tells them what kind of experiences they should expect if they decide to travel to that place. A regional tourism destination image is one that encompasses a full region as opposed to individual communities or attractions. The Burin has already begun to develop a regional tourism destination image: The Heritage Run. The concept of The Heritage Run could be enhanced in several ways. First, various thematic connections could be made between communities and attractions on the Burin, such as the U.S.S. Truxton and Pollux wreck sites in Chamber’s Cove and the Provincial Seaman’s Museum in Grand Bank. As well, connections could be made between attractions on the Burin and better-known tourism anchors elsewhere in the province. For example, the Tablelands in Gros Morne and the Fortune Head Ecological Reserve are both geologically significant sites and would be of interest to eco- or geo-tourists. Similarly, it would be beneficial to develop cross-promotion strategies with St. Pierre. Ideally, the tourism destination image for the Burin should also involve blending the cultural and natural attractions of the region. For example, hiking trails could be used as an opportunity to inform visitors about the cultural heritage of the region by installing heritage plaques and information panels (as already used on the Chamber’s Cove trail, for example). Also, restaurants could feature locally sourced food that is traditional for the area. The development of a stronger regional tourism destination image would also bring various tourism operators and promoters closer together. These groups could also benefit from working with the province and EDMO to increase the visibility of the Burin within larger tourism promotion campaigns. As a tourism economy expands in the region, it is important to ensure that host communities benefit from tourism development. For example, long term tourism-oriented projects that offer lasting employment and community cohesion would be more valuable to local communities than one-off events. As well, it should be recognized that much of the tourism industry on the Burin currently relies on volunteers, who may burn-out quickly as a result of

trying to fulfil too many roles at once. Efforts could be made to make more efficient use of volunteers and create long term paid positions in the tourism sector. In terms of promotion, the Burin tourism sector could do more to take advantage of social media and online marketing. While many tourism operators on the Burin currently use the internet to connect with each other, more could be done to encourage tourists to interact with operators and with each other. As well, the internet offers opportunities for connection between local interest groups (i.e. ATV trail riders) to groups across the globe with similar interests. This would increase potential tourists’ awareness of the Burin as a travel destination. Future research

If there is sufficient interest following the distribution of this report, there is a tentative plan to conduct a set of follow-up meetings in Fortune and Marystown in April, 2014.The purpose of these follow-up meetings would be to present the results of the project, to engage participants in identifying priorities for research that builds upon this report, and to identify community partners for further research on tourism mobility on the Burin peninsula. The outcome of these meetings will be a research proposal for to the Harris Center Applied Research Fund for the 2015 funding competition to carry out a second phase of this research project.

Bibliography

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Lowitt, K. (2011). Examining the foundation for stronger fisheries-tourism synergies and increased local seafood consumption in the Bonne Bay region of Newfoundland. The Community University Research for Recovery Alliance, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Appendix: Methodology

Data collection for this project took place between April and August 2013, involving several different strategies. Two field research trips were carried out. The first took place in April 2013 and involved a series of four research meetings. These were held in Marystown and Fortune, and were attended by 12 key participants with a stake in tourism development in the region. The second research trip took place in August 2013. This involved three days of unobtrusive field observation at a series tourist sites throughout the Burin peninsula that were identified as significant by participants at the April research meetings.

The second data collection strategy was a review of relevant reports and academic literature, as well as Yaffle content, which either discussed tourism development on the Burin peninsula specifically, or which focused on successful models of tourism development elsewhere in the province. A complete bibliography follows.

The third data collection strategy was an analysis of websites and Web 2.0 (Facebook, Twitter, You Tube) content related to tourism on the Burin peninsula, which was carried out between June and September 2013. The following complete websites were analysed: • Heritage Run: Newfoundland and Labrador’s Burin Peninsula,

http://www.theheritagerun.com/ • Burin Peninsula Trailway,

http://townofgarnish.com/Burin%20Peninsula%20Trailway/index.htm • Fortune Head Ecological Reserve (Department of Environment and Conservation,

Government of Newfoundland and Labrador), http://www.env.gov.nl.ca/env/parks/wer/r_fhe/ Using a variety of keyword search strategies to compile samples of You Tube, Facebook and Twitter content, we also analysed 51 relevant You Tube videos, 12 relevant Facebook pages, and approximately 250 individual Twitter posts that dated from 2009 until July 2013.

Literature Review – Complete Bibliography

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AMEC Earth & Environmental Limited. (2003b). Twillingate Islands Tourism Master Plan Volume 2. Retrieved from http://www.twillingatetourism.ca/Volume%202.pdf

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Response: The Cases of Iceland and Newfoundland. Current Issues in Tourism, 2(1), 47–67. doi:10.1080/13683509908667843

Carter, L., Jolliffe, L., & Baum, T. (2000). Tourism and World Heritage Sites: The Newfoundland Experience. In M. Robinson, N. Evans, P. Long, R. Sharpley, & J. Swarbrook (Eds.), Tourism and heritage relationships: global, national and local perspectives (pp. 57–75). Sunderland: Centre for Travel and Tourism in association with Business Education Publishers Ltd.

http://www.theheritagerun.com/

Carter, L. S., Jolliffe, L., & Baum, T. (2001). Heritage tourism and World Heritage sites the case of Newfoundland. Tourism and heritage sites, 26(1), 113–116.

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Tourism and the Surplus Population of Labour in a Rural Newfoundland Town (M.A.). Memorial University of Newfoundland (Canada), Canada. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.qe2a-proxy.mun.ca/docview/1039317033/abstract/13E9ECC7F937F774411/1?accountid=12378

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cultivating tourism mobility on the burin peninsula

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